-cle

¹

1. a suffix found in French loanwords of Latin origin, originally diminutive nouns, and later in adaptations of words borrowed directly from Latin or in New Latin coinages: conventicle; particle.

   article;

   conventicle;

   corpuscle;

   particle.

-cle

²

1. a suffix found in French loanwords of Latin origin, later in adaptations of words borrowed directly from Latin; in Latin, this suffix formed from verbs nouns that denoted a place appropriate to the action of the verb ( cubicle, receptacle ) or a means by which the action is performed ( vehicle ).

-cle

suffix forming nouns

1. indicating smallness

   cubicle

   particle

Word History and Origins

Origin of -cle¹

From French, Old French, from Latin -culus, -cula, -culum, variant of -ulus -ule with nouns of the 3rd, 4th and 5th declensions, usually with the same gender as the base noun

Origin of -cle²

< French, Old French < Latin -culum, -cula < *-tlom, *-tlā

Word History and Origins

Origin of -cle¹

via Old French from Latin -culus. See -cule

Example Sentences

CLE Why has not my heart sufficient resolution to punish this infamous scoundrel?

From Project Gutenberg

Cle-Syria was, like the north of Mesopotamia, in repute for its cattle.

From Project Gutenberg

"Ez clean an' ez cle'r ez the pa'm er my han'," replied Uncle Jake, with emphasis.

From Project Gutenberg

Trea′cle-sleep, a sweet and refreshing sleep; Trea′cliness, viscosity.

From Project Gutenberg

Cle'lia or Cloe'lia, a Roman maiden, one of the hostages given to Por'sena.

From Project Gutenberg